Federal Aviation Administration Data Communications Implementation Team (DCIT) DCIT En Route Services Survey Results A Review 5/8/2013

Federal Aviation Administration 2012 DCIT Domestic Enroute Trials Survey CONTACT INFORMATION: Name: Click here to enter text. Organization You Represent: Click here to enter text. Organization Type Choose an item. Telephone: Click here to enter text. Click here to enter text. Participation Letter on File: Yes ☐ No ☐ 2012 DCIT Domestic Enroute Trials Survey_Combined.docx 2012 DCIT Domestic Enroute Trials Survey_Combined.docx

Federal Aviation Administration Greatest Benefit Priority Ranking w/o TOC & IC 3 Services AALCOADeltaFedExUPSUALUSA OVERALL RANKING GO Button Routes Tailored Arrivals Direct To Fix Crossing Restrictions Advisory Messages ALT/SPD/HDG Altimeter Settings Beacon Codes Stuck Microphone 7109

Federal Aviation Administration 4 Rational for Max Benefit/Timeline Concern: Services AALCOAFedExUPSUALUSA TOCHigh Percentage of Controller Voice Traffic Reduced frequency congestion, controller workload, TOC errors Considered baseline requirement. Ranked 1 and 2 because FedEx considers this basic function as a prerequisite. ***Most of these items/services seen as benefits from our CPDLC implementation*** Reduced frequency congestion, controller workload, TOC errors Primary function and most used by crews. By the way, the abbreviation TOC is used most commonly as Top of Climb and can be confusing in this table ICHigh Percentage of Controller Voice Traffic Reduced frequency congestion, controller workload, communication errors Considered baseline requirement. Ranked 1 and 2 because FedEx considers this basic function as a prerequisite. Reduced frequency congestion, controller workload, communication errors Process happens a lot this help controller during flight reducing radio freq GO ButtonAbility to recover more quickly from wx re-routes; will also lead to less mileage in wx re- routes due today’s required overly conservative re- routings. DataCom a must. Economic benefit for recovery from flow constrained areas / irregular ops Expected Value to ATC and operators Much of the work for enabling the Go Button in ground automation has been done. Improve speed and accuracy of TFM reroutes

Federal Aviation Administration 5 Rational for Max Benefit/Timeline Concern:(con’t) Services AALCOAFedExUPSUALUSA Direct To FixAlthough beneficial, can be accomplished with voice for while since 1 through 5 are higher benefits in they’re in place. Economic benefit for reduction of miles flown (disregarding great circle routings) Simple function, expected frequency of use, reduce radio call and workload (pilot and ATC) Provides ability to quickly implement revised optimal routings Economic benefit for reduction of miles flown Improves data exchange controller more inclined to issue as process is easier Altimeter Settings Although beneficial, can be accomplished with voice for while since 1 through 5 are higher benefits in they’re in place. Reduced vertical separation errors Lower priority, function not as frequent in enroute segments Reduced vertical separation errors Reduce radio congestion Crossing Restrictions Although beneficial, can be accomplished with voice for while since 1 through 5 are higher benefits in they’re in place. Reduced vertical separation errors Expected Value to ATC Reduced vertical separation errors Ability for pilot to plan ahead and program FMS to calculate optimum descent profile.

Federal Aviation Administration 6 Rational for Max Benefit/Timeline Concern:(con’t) Services AALCOAFedExUPSUALUSA Tailored Arrivals Fuel and CO2 reductions through more efficient descents. DataCom a must. Would allow most efficient routings within terminal area. Expected Value to operators and ATC We waste so much time, fuel and money with present system of step-down arrivals Tailored Arrivals have a proven economic value. Good tool to assign runway confirmation to the crew prior to TOD. This will aid in getting more windowed arrivals into the system. Many issues arise with a facilities reluctance to issue runway assignments. Advisory Messages Although beneficial, can be accomplished with voice for while since 1 through 5 are higher benefits in they’re in place. Reduced frequency congestion, controller workload, ensures all pilots are aware of potential hazardous weather / turbulence along route Reduced workload and radio call congestion. Ensures all pilots are aware of potential hazardous weather / turbulence along route Advisory, Caution, Messages integral to safe operation and would provide an efficient and accelerated method of delivery to aircraft RoutesEliminates transmission errors in non-TFM generated complex route clearances. Leads to higher percentage of time more efficient routes can be offered. DataCom a must. Economic benefit for TFM, recovery from irregular ops, weather, etc Expected Value to ATC and operators. Efficient handling and routing. Reduce human factors errors (pilot and ATC). Reduce radio call and workload (pilot and ATC) Rank based on our ability to use data for flight planning validation Economic benefit for TFM, DARP operations and recovery from irregular ops, weather, etc Largest (volume) data exchange with potential for error corrupting data into FSM using manual procedure.

Federal Aviation Administration 7 Rational for Max Benefit/Timeline Concern:(con’t) Services AALCOAFedExUPSUALUSA ALT/SPD/HDGAlthough beneficial, can be accomplished with voice for while since 1 through 5 are higher benefits in they’re in place. Reduced frequency congestion, controller workload, communication errors Expected Value to ATC Reduced frequency congestion, controller workload, communication errors Eliminate confusing multiple item clearances Beacon CodesAlthough beneficial, can be accomplished with voice for while since 1 through 5 are higher benefits in they’re in place. Reduced frequency congestion, controller workload, communication errors Lower priority, function not as frequent in enroute segments Reduced frequency congestion, controller workload, communication errors infrequent Stuck Microphone Negative impact not as great as today with enough equipage; but still need badly since voice usage will be for non-routine immediate intervention. Reduced frequency congestion, controller workload, communication errors Lower priority, function not as frequent in enroute segments ***Timeline that extends these implementations to 2018 is a concern in general*** Reduced frequency congestion, controller workload, communication errors Data would suggest this doesn’t happen very often.

Federal Aviation Administration 8 Additional Comments: COA Continental would like to thank the Data Comm Implementation Team for continuing to consider ways to leverage existing technology (FANS 1/A+) in a way that would provide maximum benefit to operators. As requested at the May 2011 DCIT meeting, Continental Airlines would like to provide the following Benefit / Ranking of Data Comm En Route Services. Continental believes that maximum economic incentive for airlines to equip and utilize FANS 1/A+ could be achieved in the ability to recover from irregular ops and maintain schedule integrity. The ability to receive timely En Route re-routes and TFM initiatives would help ensure maximum utilization of the NAS. We understand that capabilities that would reduce frequency congestion, controller / pilot workload, and errors are beneficial and essential to NextGen initiatives. However, direct benefits from these capabilities are not easily identifiable and therefore are ranked with a lower priority. Continental is concerned that certain capabilities may be the hard to achieve in the short term. Capabilities such as a “Go Button”, automated advisory messages tied to a certain route, and Initial Tailored Arrivals may require automation (ERAM) or procedure development that may not be possible in the near future. We would be interested in learning what the FAA feels would be a realistic time frame needed to implement each of the proposed En Route services.

Federal Aviation Administration 9 Additional Comments: UPS Does your organization have any concerns regarding the planned time frame for the rollout of Data Communications En Route services? No, UPS is planning to have this in place prior to the planned timeframe. Can DCIT provide additional information to help you brief your management team on the services and benefits offered by the NextGen Data Communications program? UPS would be interested in receiving additional information that would explain the business case and benefits offered by the NextGen Data Communications Program.

Federal Aviation Administration 10 Additional Comments: UAL United Airlines believes it is important for the future, ATN driven, NAS to be capable of conducting robust Trajectory Based Operations (TBO). To make that possible the aviation community needs to build on the TBO capabilities enabled by FANS-1/A and FAN-1/A+. Specifically the industry needs to extend the concepts of Dynamic Airborne Reroute Procedures (DARP) and Tailored Arrivals into domestic airspace. These robust TBO capabilities would allow operators that have invested in FANS equipment to maximize the value of their investment. The economic incentives for conducting Tailored Arrival operations are well documented. Exercising the use of Data-Linked arrivals, departures and other TFM initiated TBO in the near term will allow flight crews and controllers to build their expertise in conducting such operations. The other routine DataComm operations such as “Transfer of Communications”, Initial Check-In, Altimeter Settings etc. all maximize their benefit to the aviation community by having larger numbers of equipped aircraft participate in DataComm operations. These routine DataComm capabilities come part and parcel with the installation of FANS- 1/A+. While these collective efforts are expected to bring substantial savings to the aviation community it is difficult to justify the cost of installing FANS equipment against the collective efforts of competitive operators. Conversely it is easier to develop a business case for installing FANS equipment when the economic incentives of Data-Linked arrivals, departures and other TFM initiated TBO are considered. These are the reasons United Airlines has chosen the “GO Button”, Tailored Arrivals and Routes as the top three En Route services the DCIT should pursue. As the requirements for a fully functional ATN is being developed under SC-214 many of the benefits of TBO can be captured using FANS equipment today. United Airlines is concerned that much of the effort to convert DataComm driven NAS will used to automate the current operational environment and that not enough effort will be spent enabling the dynamic routing capabilities of Trajectory Based Operations. We would like to understand the plans including proposed timelines for enabling dynamic TBO during Departure, En route and Arrival operations.